Stop Dog Aggression

Stop Dog Aggression - Conventional Dog Training Methods

Intruction:

Dog aggression is a problem that concerns numerous owners. Despite their best efforts, several people are unable to either prevent or eliminate aggressive dog behavior and end up dealing with a pooch that is not only unsociable, but also anxious, threatened, and prone to violent streaks every now and then. Therefore, efficient basic dog training is a must in order to avoid the possibility of individualized dog aggression training that can be challenging to implement when the dog is older and set in its ways.

Before we get started on how to stop dog aggression, let’s first look at the most common causes of this dog behavior problem.

Most probable causes of dog aggression

Certain dog breeds are predisposed to aggressive behavior and tendencies and may therefore be more prone to developing hostile dog behavior or getting involved in dog on dog aggression. These breeds include the Pit Bull Terrier, German shepherd, Rottweiler, Doberman pinscher, etc. If you intend opting for any of these breeds, it is an absolute must for you to look into the pup’s family history and gauge whether the mother was well-treated by the breeder, in which case her tendency to become antagonistic and pass on those same inclinations to her litter would be reduced.

Basic dog training, if not undertaken the right way, can also trigger aggression from the early stages itself. Dog training is a necessity for a young puppy, and it is during this time that the animal learns how to socialize with other dogs, animals, and humans. How to stop dog to dog aggression is a key issue dog owners face because their pooches just aren’t well-socialized. Signs of dog aggression may also surface later on in a dog’s life if it is either abused or indulged in cases of bad behavior.

The forms of dog aggression

1. Fear aggression: Fear aggression surfaces when a dog becomes frightened on a frequent basis and believes its life is in danger or its physical well-being is at risk.
2. Redirection aggression: This is often evident in cases of cruelty on part of a third party. For instance, if a dog is in the backyard and a passerby throws a rock at it, the dog may retaliate, but fail to ‘deal’ with the abuser if he/she gets away. When this happens, the next unfortunate person who treads in the dog’s territory may be at the receiving end of the animal’s fury in spite of him/her not doing a thing to warrant such dog behavior.
3. Protection aggression: This category of dog aggression is also known as possession or territorial aggression. In this instance, the dog feels it must do anything it can to protect its ‘property’- this may include its immediate surroundings or territory, its ‘belongings’ like toys or food bowl, and even its owner or any other person.
4. Dominant aggression: This is one of the most common types of dog aggression. In this case, the dog does not see its owner as a legitimate pack leader, as a result of which it starts displaying dominant characteristics not only toward the owner, but toward the entire family or household as well.

How to put an end to aggression

Dog aggression in any form is a threat not only to those around the animal, but to the animal itself. Uncertified dog behavior issues can manifest in the form of dog on dog aggression, antisocial tendencies, and sheer ferocity if it is not controlled. In such a case, the dog in question must be strictly supervised in the interest of the family and the community. Before suitable dog aggression training is sought, an owner must take preventive measures like not letting the dog roam free in open spaces with significant crowds and making it wear a muzzle during walks.

The first step, however, to dealing with canine hostility is to take it to a veterinarian to rule out any psychological problem or a medical issue such as a fever or chemical imbalance. If this is the root cause of the prevailing dog behavior condition, the problem can be easily dealt with in the form of requisite treatment for the medical problem that is causing the aggression.

Another important tip is to neuter or spay a dog if signs of aggression become imminent over a span of time. Bitches or female dogs can get snappy if they are not mated well into adulthood, and the same is the case with males. Studies have shown that dog aggression is less common in pets that have been neutered and spayed, but that’s not all. Such animals are also less likely to suffer from cancer, and the procedure also ensures that the population of unwanted and unloved dogs in our midst is reduced.

If your dog is aggressive, do not expose it to places or situations that trigger its violent behavior. Do not take it to crowded places or let it play in the park unless you have consulted a dog trainer or a certified animal behavioral specialist. By keeping it away from the stimuli that elicit hostile behavior, you will curb the chances of your dog getting aggravated again till such time the underlying cause of the dog behavior problem is identified.

Prevention is better than cure

Never use physical force, intimidating tactics, or other cruel and inhumane techniques to train your dog. Such approaches are some of the key contributors to dog aggression and will only worsen the problem multifold if you use them to ‘correct’ your dog’s aggression.

You can use short ‘timeout’s to drive the point across to your dog if it misbehaves since canines don’t deal well with isolation. This is because isolation is forced only on lower members of the pack, so your dog will view you as the alpha figure and get the message.

essie from Next Level Canine’s note:

Probable Cause of dog aggression

Certain dog breeds are predisposed to aggressive behavior and tendencies; this is a statement that I can agree with. Bully breeds in general need early socialization, as do all breeds, period. I find it amusing that no one ever talks about small breeds and there aggression issues. On many occasions I have witnessed small breeds triggering fights, due to aggression.  Yet no one seems to see that the most dangerous form of aggression is FEAR aggression.

If you intend opting for any breed in general I would recommend not limiting yourself by only looking into the pup’s family history or even gauging whether the mother was well treated by the breeder. This is meaningless; the foremost important thing when picking a puppy is choosing it for its individual character.  Pick up one of the puppies and see how he reacts being away from the litter, grab a pan and drop it next to them to see how they react to it.  A litter of ten puppies will have ten individuals with characters that differ from nervousness, dominance, submissiveness, overeager, pleasers etc. Individual Character is Key!  “The Talking Dog Method” shows you how to deal with an array of characters and how to get the results you desire.

I always encourage starting to train as early as 6 through 8 weeks old. Boundary training is a must! This way one never allows bad behavior to evolve. “The Talking Dog Method” shows you how to incorporate boundaries for puppies to adult dogs.

Remember that an abused dog form of aggression was created and is a form of FEAR aggression. Most abused dogs are just being defensive.  Socialization at an early age is a must to avoid any type of aggression. How to put an end to dog aggression

I would like to see studies that take an unneutered aggressive dog, neuter it then that same dog becoming non aggressive just by being neutered. In ten years of training dogs I have yet to see neutering subside aggression. In my opinion, the only thing neutering is good for is health issues.

Prevention is better than a cure

We have to remember that canines are a primitive species. If aggression is a problem how does one get a dog’s attention, to be able to make a positive association to negative behavior that can and will cause physical damage? Dog’s primitive nature shows us that they rely on not talking, Staying Calm and Clear, Touch, Eye Contact/Facial Expressions, and Body Language (Talking Dog Method). They use physical force and intimidating tactics while not being cruel or inhumane to teach each other. Why can’t we? It’s natural and effective.

The difference is that only are we going to correct there negative behaviors, we are also going to reward there positive behavior to create quick and easy associations.  This is the beauty of “The Talking Dog Method”.

‘Timeout’s are NOT the way to go! How long will it take your dog to realize that he is going to be isolated due to his aggression?  The dog will probably think to himself, why am I being isolated?   Was it because I was in the kitchen, or was it because I walked on the carpet? It could have been when I pulled on the leash. There is no way a dog can associate negative behavior such as aggression, in timeout. Even if he/she could make an association through timeout how long will it take a week, a Month, or a year? I want a solution ASAP! “The Talking Dog Method” shows you how to incorporate positive reinforcement and the proper way to incorporate corrections to correct and avoid aggression fast.  I want to eliminate any harm done to my dog, myself or anyone around him because of his aggression.

Jessie Suarez, the creator of " Talking Dog DVD Training Series"